Matthew 28-12.27.22
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 28:5-7
"The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, Who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.' Now I have told you."
OBSERVATION:
This story starts off with Mary Magdalene and the other Mary going to look at the tomb where Jesus' body had been laid. A violent earthquake took place because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven. This angel of the Lord speaks as God, identifies Himself with God, and exercises the responsibilities of God. In several other appearances, those who saw the angel of the Lord feared for their lives because they had 'seen the Lord'. The angel's appearance was like lighting and His clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of Him that they shook and became like dead men. It is clear that the angel of the Lord is a theophany, an appearance of God in physical form. (GotQuestions.org).
UNDERSTANDING:
Jesus declared Himself to be existent "before Abraham", so it is logical that He would be active and manifest in the world. Whatever the case, whether the angel of the Lord was pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus or an appearance of God, it is highly likely that the phrase 'the angel of the Lord" usually identifies a physical appearance of God.
Just as Jesus promised, He rose from the dead! His bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ is ruler of God's eternal kingdom. And just as Jesus body was resurrected, with that same power our dead bodies will come back to life to be with God forever!
LIFE APPLICATION:
Thank You God for the many forms You show up to make Yourself known. Thank You for giving us the gift of faith to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He came to earth to save us from our sins so that we may be able to have our sins forgiven, and be able to enjoy a relationship with You. Thank You for revealing to us the truth: that Jesus was born of a virgin, He died for our sins, He was resurrected from the dead. He rose, He is alive, and is sitting at Your right side interceding for us. He is making a place for us. He is coming again, and when He does, we will be taken up to be with You forever. We will see You face to face!
We who have received the gift of faith, and have been born-again are now called to witness what You have done for us. We are to share the Good News that Jesus is Lord, and that He came to save us from our sins.
Jesus was with the disciples physically until He ascended into heaven, and then spiritually through the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:4). The Holy Spirit would be Jesus' presence that would never leave them.
Jesus continues to be with us today through His Spirit, and has promised to be with us as well, and to never leave us nor forsake us. I pray we will continue to make Jesus Lord of our lives as we wait for His return as we go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded us, and that we will take courage in knowing that He is with us to the very end of the age.
-Robin Orefice